Bridgewater-Raynham seniors Shaw and Greet lead young squad to state title

Sunday

Jun 15, 2014 at 10:22 PMJun 16, 2014 at 9:21 AM

Chris McDaniel cmcdaniel@wickedlocal.com @ChrisMcDaniel88

In the seventh inning of Saturday’s Division I State Championship game, Bridgewater-Raynham High senior captain Madison Shaw started tearing up.

The Trojans held a 9-0 lead over Holy Name at the time, meaning Shaw and fellow senior captain Holly Greet were about to end their high school careers, riding off into the sunset as state champions.

“I was (tearing up) a little bit because it all kind of starts hitting you at one moment,” Shaw said. “In the middle of the circle I was like ‘it’s been great playing with you guys’ because that’s it for me. It’s over for me. It felt pretty spectacular.”

Junior pitcher Sarah Dawson made sure to remind her senior captain that the Trojans still needed to get the final three outs.

“Madi started to tear up a little bit,” Dawson said. “I was like, ‘Madi you cannot cry right now, we’ve got to get three outs and then we can cry.’”

In an ending that couldn’t be more fitting, Shaw caught the final out of the game on a line drive.

“It’s amazing, especially making that last out,” Shaw said. “I couldn’t have pictured it any other way.”

For Greet, being a state champion still hasn’t hit her yet.

“It’s not going to sink in until we go on Monday and there’s no practice, there’s no nothing and we see the newspapers and we see how far we’ve come,” Greet said. “You can’t buy a team like this.”

“It’s awesome. I can’t ask for another team. I can’t stress how important this team is to me. I can’t stress how much every single one of us has put all of our heart and effort into it. It’s so surreal.”

Greet, a three-year varsity player, will play softball at Framingham State University next year.

Sending their lone two seniors out on top was a major motivating factor for the Trojans.

“This is the best way we could have done it, ... with a shutout in the state championship game,” Dawson said. “I’ve played with Madi for so long and she’s just a great player and so is Holly. They’re great motivators and they just push everybody to be their best.”

“It’s a special day for both of them going out as seniors winning a state championship,” B-R coach Mike Carrozza said.

Making the moment just a little bit sweeter was the fact that the Trojans could smell titles the past two years, falling short in the 2012 State semifinals and the 2013 South finals.

“Especially for the veterans, it’s definitely a lot sweeter to actually make it, because we know how it feels to be on the other end, not being able to make it, not being able to come through,” Shaw said. “We set the tone at the beginning of the year, we’re making it all the way to the state championship and winning a state championship. To actually come up with that main goal of ours is pretty great.”

Shaw ends her career as one of the best to ever wear, and destroy, the Trojans’ uniform.

“I think she’s right at the top,” Carrozza said about where Shaw ranks among the players he’s coached. “If she’s not the best, she’s right at the top. Just with effort, her mind-set, passion for the game, her physical qualities, her athleticism and just her softball knowledge, she’s right at the top.”

Shaw and Greet were able to lead a young team, including eight sophomores and five juniors, to a state championship.

“Holly, I love her so much and I’m going to miss her so much,” Shaw said. “She’s going to be great at Framingham. She’s definitely been one of my best friends on the team without a doubt. She’s my partner in crime because we’re the only two seniors.”

Shaw finished her final game by reaching base safely in all four at-bats and scored three runs.